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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28748499">Two Inches to the Left</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wings_and_Feet/pseuds/Wings_and_Feet'>Wings_and_Feet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Banana Fish (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Ash is not ok., Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, None of this is ok.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:28:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,273</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28748499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wings_and_Feet/pseuds/Wings_and_Feet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes something tiny can change everything.</p><p>What if the shooter had aimed just two inches to the left?</p><p>What if those two inches cost Eiji his life?</p><p>What if that lost life cost Ash his humanity?</p><p>What if that cost everything?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ash Lynx &amp; Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx &amp; Sing Soo-Ling, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Blanca &amp; Ash Lynx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>101</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Two Inches to the Left</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Two Inches to the Left</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash sat talking strategy with Eiji, his leg stretched out under the table to press his calf comfortingly to the side of Eiji’s leg. It was grounding, soothing, though he would never admit it. If any of his guys dared question it, and they wouldn’t dare, he knew, he could claim not to have even noticed something so insignificant. Or maybe that Eiji needed comfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eiji knew the truth. But he wouldn’t ever say anything. He understood Ash’s need for both comfort and denial. He understood Ash. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or maybe he understood the Ash that could have been, without BlueBeard, without Golzine. God, this boy was like sunshine, like the first delicious breath of oxygen when you force a pair of hands away from your throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up. Eiji smiled at him. Ash’s lip quirked up, just a little, just to show him that he saw, that he knew. Eiji’s face shifted to confusion, then fear his eyes looking over Ash’s shoulder. Before Ash could react, he stood, shoving Ash out of the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes flared open wide, shocked as the bullets struck him, missing Ash almost completely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room filled with white noise as Ash watched the red blood bloom across his torso, watched his eyes lose focus, watched him fall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t even think as he drew his gun and shot, a single bullet to the heart of each shooter. They weren’t worth more attention than that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“EIJI!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shoved the table away, flipping it and all of its careful documents across the floor without a thought. He crawled across the floor frantically, ripping his flannel from around his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood pulsed rhythmically from one wound, in time with Eiji’s panicked heart beat. An artery, then, a part of Ash’s mind analyzed as he wadded the flannel and pressed it desperately to Eiji’s body. Blood soaked the soft cotton, coated Ash’s hands, bubbled up between his fingers. It was so much, too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash’s ears were ringing. “Eiji, Eiji look at me. Please.” Eiji made a noise, weakly pushed at Ash’s wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I know it hurts. I’m sorry. But I have to. Please Eiji, look at me. Open your eyes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>He looked over his shoulders. “Call an ambulance!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“To the hideout?” someone asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ash spun around, carving a wide and unfocused arc with the gun still in his hand. “Call a fucking ambulance!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to Eiji. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes were hazy but cleared slightly when he found Ash’s face. His hand twitched forward, grazed his cheek. It fell, barely making contact, leaving behind a smudge of blood. “I saved you,” he whispered. Eiji smiled softly. He was beautiful. “I’m glad.” His eyelids fluttered for a second and then closed, face going slack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eiji?” Ash wanted to shake him, but he didn’t dare take pressure off the wound. He could still feel the blood pulsing against his hand. Ash knew the danger of arterial bleeding. He pushed harder. “EIJI!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Panic was setting in. The pulsing wound was slowing, leaking rather than gushing. Eiji’s eyes flickered again. “-’s ok.” He coughed, spraying tiny droplets of blood across Ash’s cheek, camouflaging the streak left by his fingers moments before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His body stilled. Ash clutched it to his chest. He rocked Eiji’s body in his arms, mumbling and begging. Red and blue lights flashed across his face but he took no notice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one dared to approach. They could all see the truth. Ash ripped his shirt off, pressing it against the two holes in Eiji’s torso. They weren’t really bleeding any longer, just a weak trickle as he pulled his hands back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There, see? The bleeding is stopping, Eiji. You’re going to be ok.” Cain’s heart broke a little when he heard it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The ambulance is here,” he rumbled. “Bring him downstairs.” He moved to help before backing off at Ash’s snarl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a slight altercation as the EMT’s took Eiji’s body. Ash clutched at him, irrationally terrified that his hands were what tethered Eiji to life. Blanca had to restrain him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ash back up. Calm down. Let them work.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clawed at Blanca, drawing blood to mingle on his fingers with Eiji’s, bright red droplets mixing with the darker near black. “Let me go! EIJI!... Stop, get your fucking hands off of me. I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop or I will stop you,” Blanca growled in his ear, still holding him immobile. Ash heard the words but couldn’t process their meaning. He twisted viciously, desperately. Strangers were touching him, prodding his Eiji. Flashing lights glinted on a blade. He had to get to him, save him...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…”I’m not getting a pulse...Blood is pooling...Get the tube in...blood in his lungs...CLEAR…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash flinched as Eijis body jolted, paddles framed his thin, blood soaked chest. His eyes traced the muscles. People thought Eiji was soft. But he had been an athlete. He was strong. God, he was strong. He was so strong…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A woman checked his pulse “Nothing. Hit him again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone was screaming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clear.” Eiji’s body arched again, a bubble of blood forced past his lips. But his chest didn’t rise or fall. The woman checked his pulse again. She shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash could feel himself drowning. There were voices. Questions. He didn’t hear any of it. He wished that whoever it was would stop screaming. It was grating. His throat hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last thing he heard before Blanca knocked him out was ‘time of death 9:47 pm.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he woke up, he was alone, or mostly alone in a room. Blanca sat reading in a folding chair near his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinked his eyes slowly. Someone had washed him off, dressed the graze on his arm. It would be a match to the one on Eiji’s arm. What an odd…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eiji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blanca,” he rasped, demanding. What he wasn’t sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was blood under his fingernails, he noticed, crusted around his cuticles and darkening the deeper ridges in his hands. He stared at it as his mind began to clear, events falling back into place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ash--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Eiji?</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ash,” Blanca tried again. “You must let him go. You cannot keep him with you any longer.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Fuck that,” he spat. “Where is he, Blanca. Which hospital?” He struggled to sit up, his ears still ringing, his muscles still a little numb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca remained silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made it to a standing position. “Where. Is. He?” He stepped forward, snatching the gun from Blanca’s holster and pointing it at his chest, nearly point blank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eiji is dead.” Blanca stayed calm, impassive. His face showed no expression as he said the words that finally, after everything, broke Ash Lynx beyond repair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! You’re lying!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I will stay by your side, forever!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I am not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash screamed incoherently, emptying the clip. He didn’t hit Blanca, didn’t really intend to. But the bullets still came close enough to ruffle the assassin’s hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the gun clicked empty, he flung it away from himself. He grabbed Blanca’s lapel, doomed hope twisted his features as he pulled him close. “Tell me you’re lying.” He shook him slightly. “Please, Blanca. Tell me it isn’t true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Believe me, Ash, I wish that I could.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca watched the hope bleed away, replaced by an emptiness that he knew well. This coldness would be an unbelievable weapon in the hands of someone as talented as Ash, he thought. If he survives the freezing of his heart. For just a second he allowed himself to remember Natasha’s smiling eyes. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash crumpled to the ground. “He can’t be,” he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca moved to grip his shoulder, to offer comfort or restraint he himself wasn’t quite sure. But Ash shrugged him off, shoved him away. “Get out. Just go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He saved your life, Ash.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t want to lose you! For you I would do anything!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know. It wasn’t worth it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca stood another moment before retrieving his gun and turning to leave. He paused at the door, then returned to take Ash’s gun from the nightstand as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone brought him food, tea. Probably Sing. He imagined Eiji’s smiling face, his hands waving smelly salted fish around on chopsticks. He tried to take a bite. It tasted like sawdust. It tasted like the coppery iron of blood. He didn’t bother with a second bite.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash sat on the couch, blood scabbing his bruised knuckles. Maybe he should have cleaned them, wrapped them. He didn’t really care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sing was saying something to him, apologizing. Offering a one-on-one fight to atone for the Chinese gang members who had hurt...shot...Killed Eiji. His mind skittered away from the word and he lost track of what Sing was saying. It didn’t matter anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eiji’s voice in his head admonished him. Sing was their ally, their friend. He forced his mind back to the boy. Just a boy, he thought. A baby, practically. “Ok.” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a pity, really. He wondered if he’d feel anything when he had to kill Sing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You keep asking if you scare me. Never. Not once.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mind began to wander again, drifting between the soft fuzzy edges of memory and dream. People were arguing. His chest ached. He wondered idly if he would die.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lao shouted, “Only that little Japanese boy means a damn thing to him. He doesn’t care about the rest of us. He shot down two of our guys like they were garbage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He has a name, Lao.” Ash surprised himself by speaking. “Say it. Say his name. Honor the innocent man your men slaughtered.” Lao remained silent. “DO IT!!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without even looking at him, Ash picked up the gun that had killed Eiji Ojumura and shot Lao between the eyes. He set it back down on the table. I bet he’d be afraid now, he thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They were.” He watched the body hit the floor. Ash didn’t raise his voice, but in the ringing silence everyone heard his deceptively mild comment. “They were garbage. They came into my home. They lied and they cheated and they took what was mine. They were worse than garbage. They were traitors, snuffing out a beautiful life for an opportunity to suck Yut Lung’s dick. Lee’s little lapdogs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a murmur from the crowd. Cain’s men, initially angry, seemed nervous now. Ash’s voice was almost dreamy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck man?” shouted another member of the Chinese gang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash ran his finger along the gun, spinning it on the table. He didn’t look up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t apologize. That’s something for us Japanese to do.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ash?” Sing asked quietly, nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shorter too, you know. He sold Eiji to Golzine to be his sex toy. We were friends once, but when it mattered, he betrayed me too. Still, I cried when he died.”  Ash looked up. “If you would rather the Chinese viper than the wildcat, then go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You think I will wish you are not with me? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because you are bad news? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m telling you that will never happen.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few men shifted their weight. “Go!” Ash suddenly shrieked. “Get the Fuck out!” He snatched the gun from the table shooting above the heads of the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sing stood, hoping to try to diffuse the situation somehow. He caught Ash’s eye, just for a second. He wished he hadn’t. There was no trace of humanity there, no sanity or rationality, just wild, hopeless fury. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sing, gulped, stepped away. Watched in terrified fascination as Ash’s eyes cleared, emptied. His rage was replaced by a profound emptiness. They looked like the eyes of a doll, beautiful seaglass green and totally lifeless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no. Not you, little Sing.” He stepped forward, tapped his gun to Sing’s forehead, just between his eyebrows. “You still have a job to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A, a job?” Sing squeaked “Wh,what job?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need an invitation to the Lee compound. I’m going to put a bullet in that fucking bastard’s brain.” The dead calm of his tone warred with the ferocity of the words themselves. He collapsed back onto the couch. “Then I’ll kill Golzine, and Foxx and anyone else who gets in my way. I’ll raze the Mental Health Institute to the ground.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What then?” Cain asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Humans can change their destiny.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not anymore. Ash turned and handed him the gun. “Then it will be over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what does that mean, Ash?” Sing asked carefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They shoot horses, don’t they?” His voice cracked ever-so-slightly. “When they break something that can’t be fixed?” For just a second the glassy blankness cleared from his eyes, replaced by bleak agony. “When it’s over, you put down the dangerous wild animal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With those words, the hair on the back of every neck still in the room stood up. Suddenly Ash wasn’t a gang boss or a brilliant strategist. He was an apex predator on the hunt. And any person who crossed him would become prey.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You are not a leopard.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash was pretty sure he was losing his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three shots. Two to the heart. One to the head. To be sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash had always commanded a fearful respect. He was mercurial and at times violent. But he had always been known to be fair, merciful even. He was brilliant and efficient--an unapologetic killer when the situation had called for it. Of course they knew he was dangerous. They relied on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sing licked his lips, carefully keeping his eyes from straying to the corpse of his half-brother. “What about our guys?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps his gang’s respect had been waning. They had been angry about Shorter, unsure of his alliance with the man who killed him. He had seemed weak. But as he forced himself to look Ash in the eye, to question the burning insanity he found there, their esteem approached true awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash looked at him for a moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I like your guys, Ash. They are good guys.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt something try to push its way through the cold emptiness with the memory. Alex. Bones. Kong...They...he shoved it away. There was no room within him anymore for affection or friendship. His voice was cold, measured, when he spoke. “I will get our guys back. No one is ever, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to take what is mine away again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sing opened his mouth to respond, then thought better of it. He turned on his heel instead, gesturing for his guys to follow him out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sing.” Ash’s voice cut across the room, sounding almost normal. Sing froze in place. “I want that meeting sooner, rather than later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sing didn’t turn. His shoulders hunched for a moment before he forced them straight. He nodded once, tersely. His men followed as he continued out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t forget to take your trash with you.” He watched dispassionately as they retrieved Lao’s body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You had to. Or you would be killed yourself.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t had to though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cain straightened. “Ash,” he began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash sighed, a world of exhaustion in the single sound. “Go away, Cain. Come back tomorrow. I’ll tell you the plan. But for now, just...go away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cain placed the gun gently down on the table before turning and leading his men away. A nod had Ash’s gang following as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Ash sat on the couch turning the gun in his hand for a long time. More than once, he held it to his temple. But it wasn’t his time to die. Not yet. He still had work to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually simple physical exhaustion forced his body into a light doze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dreamed. Bright brown eyes and black hair shone in the sun. Laughter echoed. Eiji fanning his face,eyes watering at strong mustard. Eiji laughing at children playing in Central Park. Eiji sticking his tongue out, teasing back as Ash teased him about his skill in English. Eiji dragging him out of bed, feeding him, caring about him. Eiji spinning beneath brilliantly colored trees, grinning in delight as the leaves blew around him. Eiji holding him, chasing away his demons, telling him he would be with him. Eiji. Eiji. Eiji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A door opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound woke him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a second, one precious, perfect, beautiful second, his dream clouded his mind, superimposing Eiji over the dull gray light of the room and the face of the man in the doorway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“If I ever lose you...I’ll go crazy.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the man that entered wasn’t Eiji. His vision cleared. Blanca stood before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eiji was dead. Reality slammed back into him so hard he flinched. His stomach lurched, bile rising. He dashed for the sink, coughing and spitting. His stomach was empty, but he still heaved for a long time, as if his body could expel the poison spreading in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears stung his eyes. But they didn’t fall. What was the fucking point?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca made no move to touch him or to speak until he turned from the sink, shakily sitting on the floor. He gripped his head in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ignored Blanca. If he was here to kill him, he might just thank his old mentor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you done?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Ash’s voice was rough, hoarse from the retching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They contemplated one another in silence for a moment. Finally, Blanca spoke. “I think you want to hire me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wrong. I don’t want anything. Not anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How melodramatic of you.” Blanca grabbed his arm, dragged him upright and over to the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have been where you are, Ash. I know what you are feeling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doubt me, if you must, but it is true. I felt much as you do now when my Natasha was killed. The despair will destroy you. But the fury...the fury you can use. Feed it. Hone it. Let me make you into the weapon you were meant to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because when the capacity for love and forgiveness is gone, there are only two paths. This is the better of the two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash looked at him. “Why?” he asked again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because Eiji wanted you to live. It’s all you can give him now. But I promise you, if you allow me to forge you into a blade, you will quench your fire in the blood of Yut Lung Lee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m too tired for metaphors, Blanca. What do you want? In plain English.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I am not very good with English, but I am getting better, yes?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash shook his head, banishing the voice before it could cut him open again. Eiji was gone. Because of him. He wondered if Eiji had ever truly seen him after all. He certainly hadn’t treated Ash like the monster he so clearly was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not afraid of you. Never.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You should have been, he thought. He hadn’t even noticed himself zoning out until Blanca struck him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you ask a question, I expect you to listen to the answer. You know that.” Forcibly calming his irritation, Blanca continued, “I want you to come with me. I want to retire. I want to train you to take my place.” He breathed in slowly through his nose. “And it would be unprofessional for me to leave you behind. I cannot leave a job half done. It looks bad. You are a loose end.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about Banana Fish?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“What </span>
  <em>
    <span>about</span>
  </em>
  <span> Banana Fish?” Blanca countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” Ash stopped. What was he really fighting for? The world was full of evil men. He knew that better than anyone. Men who raped and killed and controlled. What did one more tool in their arsenal really mean? Revenge for Griffin had cost him Shorter. Revenge for Shorter had cost him... everything. Destroying it already wasn’t worth the cost.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You are strong.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No. I’m not. Ash sighed. “Tomorrow. I’ll leave with you tomorrow.” He picked up a pencil. “Tonight...well, I owe this to Eiji.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash and Blanca spent hours finalizing the plan for the assault on the National Mental Health Institute. When they finished, Ash slept. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca left, returning just before dawn with the supplies they would need  to follow through. Ash didn’t ask where the explosives came from. He didn’t care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, he went over each aspect of the plan carefully. He patiently explained each step, encouraging team leaders to study the map, passing the bombs Blanca had acquired to the men who would set them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could see the gang relax, soothed by his more normal demeanor. The plan was insane, unlikely to work. But it was the best they could do. Eiji had been proud of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“If I’m going to die anyway, at least I’ll die trying.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get some rest,” he told the guys. You’ll move at sundown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about you?” Sing dared ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have something I need to do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash listened to the voices raised in shock, anger, fear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not coming with us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell, man?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fucked up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re just leaving your guys high and dry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let it roll over him. Off of him. He tried to feel what he knew he should. But he felt nothing. It was just noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sing?” he asked, quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um. Yeah, Ash?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you get me that meeting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, n-no. Not yet.” Sing looked up, nervous. But in the place of the anger he expected there was a soft looking smile. It was absolutely terrifying. Was Ash really, truly insane?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter.” Ash paused. “Sing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah Ash?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See this through, ok? For Eiji?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do my best.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s all he would have asked for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Somehow no one noticed when Ash slipped out. He was long gone by the time anyone went looking for him. His jacket was missing, along with Eiji’s ridiculous cartoon character shirt. He had left everything else behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the gangs gathered to move, Golzine’s body was discovered, propped against a weapons crate. His access cards were pinned neatly to his jacket. The hole of a long range rifle bullet gaped in the center of his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raid could be considered a success if only in the loosest sense of the word. The institute burned. Banana Fish was destroyed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all, they had lost 43 people, including Kong and Alex. Cain suffered extreme burns, blinded in one eye by the heat. Sing took a bullet for one of Ash’s guys. He died a hero, drowning in his own blood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash heard about it later. He even managed to feel a twinge of regret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The uneasy truce between the gangs continued to limp along for a time, but without the leadership of those that truly believed in it, they fell to squabbling and then fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The eventual turf war made the front page of the New York Times. Max was asked to do an interview with the new gang leaders. He turned it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At Eiji’s memorial, Ibe spoke of a young boy, cut down too soon, but also of a young man, full of life and love. He spoke of how happy Eiji had been in New York, how much he had loved his friends. How much he had loved Ash. He read a letter Eiji had written trapped in the 59th street apartment. He had been feverish. Ash had called Ibe to sit with him, he recalled with a sad smile. He thought Eiji might like to speak Japanese while he was sick. Eiji had been afraid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wasn’t afraid for himself,” Ibe said, voice hitching. “He was afraid he would die without getting a chance to say what he wanted to say.” He paused, wiping his eyes. “I don’t know if he ever said it. I don’t know if Ash will ever hear it, but he felt strongly that these words needed to be said, so I’m going to say them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash stood among the trees, listening. Although he heard the whispers of memory in his own mind less and less often, he could almost hear Eiji’s voice as Ibe read. He strained to catch every word until finally Ibe came to the end. “I promised to stand by your side, Ash. And I want you to know, even if there comes a time when I can’t, you will never be alone. My soul will always be with you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears streamed down his face--the first he had been able to shed since Blanca had said those horrible, fateful words. Eiji is dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sayonara, Eiji.” He whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blanca touched his shoulder. It was time to go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ibe stood, clutching the letter as he sobbed. Finally, Max and Jessica stood to lead him away.  As they turned, he could swear he saw a flash of gold hair in the sunlight. But when he turned back, there was no one there. Max promised to go and check at the end of the ceremony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found Eiji’s favorite shirt folded neatly at the base of the tree. Tucked into the fold was a short note. “Don’t look for me. You won’t find me. It’s better this way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A year later, Yut Lung Lee was dropped in his tracks at a festival, a single bullet through the heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sniper was never found.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two years later, sixteen US senators were killed over the course of six days. Each body was found with video showing them with underage boys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shooter was never found.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three years later, a new name was whispered among people who knew of such things. The very best of the very best. An assassin with the face of an angel and the soul of a devil. Cold. Ruthless. Unstoppable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one knew his real name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They called him The Lynx.</span>
</p>
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